Chapter 1 The Man I Came To Kill

• Lyra's POV
• The first rule Alpha Darius ever taught me was simple.
• Never hesitate.
• The moment you hesitate, you die.
• I was twelve when he placed a dagger in my hand for the first time. It was too heavy for my small fingers, but he never cared. He only watched me with those cold gray eyes while a tied-up rogue wolf knelt in front of me.
• "Kill him," he ordered.
• My hands shook.
• The rogue begged for his life.
• "I... I can't."
• Alpha Darius slapped me so hard I hit the ground.
• "The people who murdered your parents begged for mercy too?" he barked. "Did they spare them?"
• I froze.
• "No."
• "Then don't spare anyone who stands in your way."
• That day, I learned how to stop crying.
• That day, I learned how to kill.
• ---
• Ten years later...
• Blood no longer frightened me.
• It stained my hands, my clothes, and sometimes even my dreams. But I had learned to live with it.
• Because every mission brought me one step closer to revenge.
• The training ground echoed with the sound of clashing swords as young warriors fought under the morning sun. Sweat dripped down their faces while instructors shouted orders.
• I walked past them without looking twice.
• Some lowered their heads as I passed.
• Others stepped aside.
• No one wanted to cross paths with the Shadow Assassin.
• That was the name they gave me.
• Not because I was the strongest.
• Because people rarely saw me coming.
• "Lyra."
• I stopped.
• Kael stood at the entrance of the training field, dressed in black armor with the Silver Moon Pack crest on his chest. Since Alpha Darius died a year ago, Kael had become the youngest Alpha in the northern territories.
• He looked almost the same as when we grew up together.
• Almost.
• The boy who used to sneak me sweets after training was gone.
• Now he carried the weight of an entire pack on his shoulders.
• "You wanted to see me?" I asked.
• He smiled.
• "I haven't seen you in three days."
• "I was on a mission."
• "I know."
• His smile faded.
• "You don't have to disappear every time."
• I folded my arms.
• "You trained me to disappear."
• A quiet laugh escaped him.
• "My father did."
• The mention of Alpha Darius made my chest tighten.
• Everything I had...
• Everything I knew...
• I owed to him.
• He found me after my parents were slaughtered by unknown Alphas. He raised me inside this pack when no one else wanted an orphan without a wolf.
• He gave me food.
• A home.
• A purpose.
• Most importantly...
• He gave me a reason to live.
• Revenge.
• Kael walked closer.
• "You skipped breakfast again."
• "I wasn't hungry."
• "You always say that."
• He held out a small paper bag.
• "I brought your favorite."
• Fresh honey bread.
• I stared at it before taking it.
• "Thanks."
• His face softened.
• For a moment, he looked less like an Alpha and more like the boy I used to climb trees with.
• "You work too hard, Lyra."
• "I work enough."
• "You don't have to carry everything alone."
• "I do."
• Because no one else could avenge my parents.
• He sighed, knowing better than to argue.
• A young warrior suddenly ran toward us.
• "Alpha!"
• Kael turned.
• "The Pack Witch is asking for you."
• His expression changed immediately.
• "I'll be there."
• The warrior nodded before leaving.
• Kael looked back at me.
• "Will you wait? We can eat together afterward."
• "I'll be here."
• He smiled one last time before walking toward the old stone house where the Pack Witch lived.
• I leaned against a wooden post and tore off a piece of the warm bread.
• It tasted exactly like childhood.
• For a few seconds...
• Life felt normal.
• Then everything changed.
• ---
• An hour later...
• The castle hall was strangely quiet.
• Warriors whispered among themselves.
• Servants hurried past with nervous faces.
• Something was wrong.
• I had barely reached the hallway when Kael's beta found me.
• "Lyra."
• "What happened?"
• "The Alpha wants you."
• His voice sounded tense.
• I followed him without asking another question.
• Kael was standing alone inside the strategy room.
• The moment I entered, he dismissed everyone else.
• The heavy doors closed behind me.
• Only the two of us remained.
• He looked exhausted.
• His eyes were red as if he hadn't blinked for hours.
• "What happened?"
• He stayed silent for a long time.
• Then he finally spoke.
• "My father left something for me."
• I frowned.
• "What?"
• "A secret."
• My heart skipped.
• "About?"
• "You."
• I straightened.
• "My parents?"
• He nodded slowly.
• "When Father was dying... he finally remembered the last Alpha involved in their murder."
• The room suddenly felt too small.
• "What did you say?"
• "He remembered who escaped."
• I couldn't breathe.
• For years...
• Years...
• We had searched for names.
• Faces.
• Anything.
• Nothing.
• Now...
• Finally...
• "Who is it?" I whispered.
• Kael clenched his fists.
• "He is dead."
• My hope shattered.
• "But..." Kael continued quietly, "...his son isn't."
• I looked up.
• "He inherited everything."
• Including...
• "The blood debt."
• Kael placed a rolled map on the table.
• He opened it slowly.
• His finger stopped on one territory.
• "The Black Fang Pack."
• I recognized the name instantly.
• Our oldest enemy.
• Their new Alpha had taken over only months ago.
• Young.
• Powerful.
• Feared by every neighboring pack.
• Kael looked straight into my eyes.
• "His name is Rowan."
• The name meant nothing to me.
• Only one thing mattered.
• "He carries his father's blood."
• "Yes."
• "Then he dies."
• Kael didn't answer immediately.
• Instead...
• He walked to a wooden chest hidden beneath the table.
• When he opened it, I saw a familiar pair of silver daggers.
• Mine.
• Freshly sharpened.
• He lifted them carefully before placing them into my hands.
• "They belonged to my father," he said.
• "He wanted you to have them when the time finally came."
• I wrapped my fingers around the hilts.
• The cold metal felt... right.
• Like they had always belonged there.
• Kael stepped closer.
• "This won't be an easy mission."
• "It never is."
• "Rowan is dangerous."
• "So am I."
• His eyes searched mine, almost as if he wanted to say something else.
• Instead, he simply nodded.
• "Leave tonight."
• I fastened the daggers to my belt.
• "I won't fail."
• "I know."
• I turned toward the door.
• "Lyra."
• I looked back.
• "When you see Rowan..."
• His voice became cold.
• "...don't let him speak."
• I gave a single nod.
• Then I walked away.
• I had no idea...
• The man I was sent to kill was about to change everything I believed.